1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information record medium such as a DVD disc, on which audio information of music and the like which are different in the recording methods or encoding methods are recorded, and a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the audio information and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a video DVD (which is a disc conformable to a DVD-Video standard) as a recording medium for recording video information such as a movie and the like. The video DVD is used as a recording medium for recording the movie and the like, since it has a large capacity.
There is an audio DVD (which a disc conformable to a DVD-Audio standard) to record only the audio information such as a music and the like but not the video information such as the movie and the like. In a case of this audio DVD, the audio information corresponding to a plurality of CDs (Compact Discs) can be recorded on a single audio DVD, because of its large capacity as the DVD. In addition to the video information such as the movie and the like, the audio DVD can also record the audio information corresponding to a music CD that is a sound track version of that movie.
It is intended that the audio DVD mainly records the audio information such as a music and the like, and also enables the reproduction of unprecedented multi-channel. Moreover, it is intended that the audio DVD enables the reproduction of unprecedented high quality even as not only the multi-channel but also a two-channel stereo.
In such a DVD audio disc, if only the audio information of the multi-channel is recorded, this results in such a problem that a user having the two-channel reproducing apparatus can listen to only a part of the sound thereof, or the reproduction cannot be performed at all.
So, it is necessary to record the audio information for the two-channel reproduction together with the audio information for the multi-channel reproduction on the disc, in order for even the user having only the reproducing apparatus dedicated to the two-channel to enjoy this disc.
However, in this case, these two kinds of audio information are duly the same title and the same song. Thus, recording these two kinds of audio information as they are on the disc leads to the existence of the two kinds of titles having the same name and songs having the same name. Hence, this results in a first problem that the user is confused. This first problem is similarly brought about not only in a case when a reproducing manner of the channel and the like is different, but also in a case when a recording manner such as a binaurally recording operation and the like is different, in a case when an encoding method such as an AC-3 and the like is different and in a case when a combination of the reproducing manner, the recording manner or the encoding method is different.
Next, in an already-standardized DVD video format, a plurality of audio information can be recorded together with video information, at the same time. For example, it is possible to switch between a voice of an original language and a voice dubbed in Japanese, for a certain movie. Similarly, it is also possible to switch between an LPCM stereo voice and an AC-3 multi-channel voice, under the same title. Thus, the plurality of audio information can be treated as the same title and the same song. Hence, it is possible to change an audio stream to thereby change the kind of audio information to be reproduced.
On the other hand, it is desired to record the video information even on the audio DVD, so as to record the video information such as a menu and additional information. In this case, if an image is recorded by using a method different from the DVD video format, this cannot attain the compatibility with the video format. It is desirable to reproduce a portion where the image is attached on the audio disc, even for a video player which is presently marketed.
Thus, from these viewpoints, it is desirable that the structure to record the substantial information containing the image is similar to that of the DVD video format.
However, in order to achieve that structure, it is necessary to multiplex a plurality of kinds of audio information and then record them on the disc as one object. Also, in order to manage a plurality of streams, it is necessary that management information is included in the data. Thus, the case of having the same structure as the video format reduces the process necessary for the switching operation of the reproducing apparatus at the time of the reproduction. However, this case brings about such a trouble that the process at the time of the recording becomes complex.
The performance for the recording operation and the conformity with a presently-used studio unit are significant, and the non-complex process in the recording operation are desired for the audio format. In particular, the structure that the management information is not included in the data is desired.
Thus, there are two kinds of structures i.e., a structure peculiar to the DVD audio format in the case of recording only the audio information and a structure conformable to the DVD video format containing the image. When only the audio information is reproduced for the data having the two kinds of structures, there are the two kinds of formats, which are completely different from each other, in the reproduction control information, unless the logical structures are common. Hence, the process in the reproducing apparatus becomes heavy, which cannot provide a unified operation. Therefore, this results in a second problem that the user is confused.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore a first subject of the present invention to provide an information record medium, from which respective audio information can be properly reproduced without introducing a confusion to a user even if a plurality of audio information different in recording methods, reproducing manners and/or encoding methods are recorded on the information record medium, and an information reproducing apparatus, which can properly reproduce the respective audio information from the information record medium.
Moreover, it is a second object of the present invention to provide an information record medium, which can offer an environment to select a plurality of kinds of audio information by using a unified operation without the consciousness of a structural difference between two information record mediums even if one of them has a structure peculiar to the DVD audio format for recording only audio information and the other of them has a structure conformable to the DVD video format containing an image, and further a reproducing apparatus which can properly reproduce it.
1) The above first object of the present invention can be achieved by a first information record medium such as an DVD provided with: an audio information recording area on which a plurality of audio information (e.g., AOB #1, AOB #2, . . . ) which are different in recording method are recorded; and a control information recording area on which control information (e.g., ATSI) required to reproduce the plurality of audio information recorded on the audio information recording area is recorded. The control information recorded on the control information recording area includes identification information indicating that the plurality of audio information are same in content and different in recording method with each other.
According to the information record medium of the present invention, the control information recorded on the control information recording area is read out by an information reproducing apparatus. Then, a desirable audio information is searched from the plurality of audio information recorded on the audio information recording area, and a reproduction of the searched audio information is performed. Therefore, since the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method are recorded on the audio information recording area, it is necessary to search the audio information for respective one of the plurality of audio information. However, by virtue of the identification information included in the control information, such a fact that the desired audio information corresponds to the plurality of audio information of such type (i.e., which are different in recording method and same in content) is recognized. Accordingly, at the stage that the user designates the audio information to be reproduced by the information reproducing apparatus, just by performing a designation corresponding to the content of the desired audio information, one of the plurality of audio information in a particular recording method corresponding to a processing capability of the pertinent information reproducing apparatus for example, is searched and reproduced. In this manner, since the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content can be managed under the content thereof, it is possible to give no confusion or mess in the operation to the user.
2) In one aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the control information includes a plurality of first division information (e.g., track number or ATS title number in one title) for identifying first division units (e.g., tracks or ATS titles) respectively so as to divide each of the plurality of audio information recorded on the audio information recording area by the first division units respectively. The first division information, which indicates that the audio information divided by the first division units belongs to a same first division unit, is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method.
According to this aspect, the first division information as one portion of the control information recorded on the control information recording area is read out by an information reproducing apparatus. Then, the first division unit to which a desirable audio information belongs is searched, and a reproduction of the audio information belonging to the searched first division unit is performed. Therefore, since the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method are recorded for the first division units respectively, it is necessary to search the first division unit for respective one of the plurality of audio information. However, the first division information as the identification information, which indicates that the audio information divided by the first division units belong to a same first division unit, is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method. Namely, the plurality of audio information indicated by the same first division information are different in recording method, belong to the same first division unit and are same in content. Consequently, as a designation for such audio information, a designation corresponding to a single first division information is enough. And that, since this single first division information is respectively provided for the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content, such a fact that the desired audio information corresponds to the plurality of audio information of such type (i.e., which are different in recording method and same in content) is recognized by the information reproducing apparatus when reading the first division information. Then, after recognizing this fact, one of the plurality of audio information in a particular recording method corresponding to a processing capability of the pertinent information reproducing apparatus for example, among the plurality of audio information belonging to the single first division unit indicated by the pertinent single first division information is reproduced. In this manner, since the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content can be managed under the content thereof, it is not necessary for a user to designate the audio information for each of the plurality of audio information even in the presence of the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content. Thus, it is possible to give no confusion or mess in the operation to the user. 3) In one aspect of the first information record medium of the present invention, the control information (ATSI) further includes: a plurality of second division information (e.g., program number) for identifying second division units (e.g., programs) respectively so as to divide each of the plurality of audio information recorded on the audio information recording area by the second division units as a single reproduction unit; and a plurality of management information for correlating the plurality of second division information and the plurality of first division information with each other so that the audio information divided by the first division units are composed of one or a plurality of the audio information divided by the second division units. The management information is provided for each of the plurality of audio information so as to respectively correlate the second division information, which identifies a same second division unit to which the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method belong, with the first division information for identifying the same first division unit to which the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method belong, for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method.
According to this aspect, the first division information as one portion of the control information recorded on the control information recording area is read out by an information reproducing apparatus, and the first division unit to which a desirable audio information belongs is searched. Then, the management information corresponding to the first division information indicating the searched first division unit is read out, and the second division information correlated with this first division information is read out. By this second division information, with respect to the audio information in the previously searched first division unit, the search for the second division unit us further performed, and the audio information is reproduced for each reproduction unit. Alternatively, if a designation of the second division unit is directly performed by a user, the search for this second division unit designated by the user is performed in the same procedure, and only the audio information in the designated second division unit is reproduced.
The plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method are recorded for each of the first division units on the audio information recording area. The first division information as the identification information, which indicates that the audio information divided by the first division units belong to a same first division unit, is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method. Further, with respect to this first division information, the second division information is correlated by the management information for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method. The second division information gives a same second division unit to which the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method belong. As mentioned above, although the first division information is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, since the content thereof is the same, the single first division information is given. The second division information is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, since the content thereof is the same, the single second division information is given. Therefore, in case of reproducing the plurality of audio information different in recording method recorded on the audio recording area, the processes of searching for the first division unit and the second division unit are the same for the plurality of audio information different in recording method. Thus, it is possible to perform a continuous reproduction of the second division units or a reproduction of the designated second division unit by a single process under a single designation. In this manner, since the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content can be managed under the content thereof and for each of the reproduction units, it is not necessary for a user to designate the audio information for each of the plurality of audio information even in the presence of the plurality of audio information different in recording method and same in content. Thus, it is possible to give no confusion or mess in the operation to the user. Therefore, even the audio information recorded in the DVD video format can be reproduced in accordance with the control information of the DVD audio format.
4) In this aspect, the management information may respectively correlate the second division information for identifying the second division units, the numbers and orders (e.g., the number of programs and the order of programs) of which are same to each other, with the first division information for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method.
Accordingly, even if the second division information correlated to the first division information for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method indicates a plurality of second division units, since the numbers and the orders of the second division units are to each other for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, the procedure to perform the search for and the reproduction of the nth second division unit, which divides the first division unit, can be made same to each other for each of plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, so that the simplification of the processes can be improved. This leads to the commonness of the processes in the information reproducing apparatus and further the commonness of the operations by the user, so that it is possible to give no confusion or mess in the operation to the user even more certainly.
5) In this case, the audio information divided by the second division units in accordance with the second division information, which is respectively correlated with the first division information for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, may be recorded on the audio information recording area as the audio information, whose reproduction time is substantially same for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method.
Accordingly, even if the second division information correlated with the first division information for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method indicates a plurality of second division units, the audio information is recorded such that the reproduction time of the audio information divided by the second division units is substantially same for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method. Therefore, even in case of reproducing the audio information by respective one of the recording methods, it is possible to give agreeableness to the user, so that it is possible to give no confusion or mess in the operation to the user even more certainly.
6) In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, which are identified by the identification information, are multiplexed and recorded at a same recording position in the audio information recording area.
According to this aspect, the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method which are identified by the identification information are recorded by the record unit in the audio information recording area, where the record unit is same irrespective of the recording method of the pertinent audio information and the plurality of audio information are multiplexed and recorded at the same recording position therein. Therefore, after recognizing the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method by the identification information, it is possible to search the record unit where the desired audio information is recorded on the basis of the control information, and it is further possible to reproduce only the desired audio information among the multiplexed audio information in the searched record unit. Particularly, in the above described information record medium of the present invention in various aspects, the search for the record unit with respect to the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method is performed on the basis of the single first division unit indicated by the single first division information. Since the single first division information is provided for each of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, it is possible to have the information to select the respective audio information at the hierarchy of the first division information level. Consequently, it is possible to reproduce the audio information, which is recorded in the DVD video format, on the basis of the control information in accordance with the DVD audio format.
7) In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the control information includes information indicative of the recording method as information to select one of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method to be reproduced.
According to this aspect, if a desired audio information is recognized by the information reproducing apparatus as the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, one of the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, which is the audio information in a desirable recording method, is easily selected on the basis of the information indicative of the recording method included in the control information. Also, if the information reproducing apparatus to reproduce the pertinent information record medium has no capability of performing the process based on the desired recording method, it is possible to easily warn that the designation of the desired recording method by the user is invalid for example.
8) In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the recording method is at least one of a recording form, a reproducing form and an encoding method.
According to this aspect, since the plurality of audio information same in content whose recording method is a recording form, a reproducing form or an encoding method, or combinations of those are recorded, an appropriate reproduction of the audio information corresponding to the request by the user or corresponding to the capability of the information reproducing apparatus to reproduce the pertinent information record medium can be performed with giving no confusion or mess to the user.
9) The above objects of the present invention can be achieved by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the above described information record medium of the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the audio information in accordance with the control information is provided with: a reading device for reading record information which is recorded on the information record medium and includes the audio information and the control information; an inputting device for inputting designation information to designate a condition to reproduce the information record medium; a selecting device for selecting the recording method, the audio information in which is to be reproduced, on the basis of the designation information or set information stored in a memory device; and a reproducing device for reproducing the audio information in the recording method, which is selected by the selecting device from among the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, on the basis of the control information and the record information read by the reading device.
According to the information reproducing apparatus, when a user designates a desired audio information, the designation information is inputted by the inputting device. Then, the control information corresponding to the designation information inputted in this manner is read out from the information record medium by the reading device. The recording method, which is designated by the user or corresponding to the capability of the information reproducing apparatus, is selected by the selecting device, on the basis of the inputted designation information or the set information which is set and stored in the memory device in advance. Then, the audio information in the recording method selected by the selecting device from among the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method is reproduced by the reproducing device on the basis of the control information and the record information read by the reading device. Therefore, the search and the reproduction of the audio information of the desired recording method can be performed just by performing the designation corresponding to the content of the desired audio information by the user. In this manner, it is possible to appropriately reproduce the plurality of audio information same in content and different in recording method, which are recorded on the information record medium, with giving no confusion or mess to the user.
10) In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with: an extracting device for extracting information indicating the recording method of each of the plurality of audio information recorded on the information record medium from the control information; and a displaying device for displaying the extracted information.
According to this aspect, the information indicating the recording method is extracted from the control information by the extracting device. Then, the extracted information is displayed by the displaying device. Therefore, the user can designate the recording method, the audio information in which is to be reproduced, with referring to the displayed recording method, so that it is possible to perform an appropriate reproduction in accordance with the request of the user.
11) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the inputting device is set to receive an input of the designation information regardless of an operation condition of the information reproducing apparatus, and the selecting device or the reproducing device is set to perform, when a content of the designation information inputted by the inputting device is changed, respective process on the basis of the changed designation information.
According to this aspect, even while the information reproducing apparatus is reproducing or stopping, the inputting device receives the input of the designation information of the audio information by the user. Then, if the content of the designation information inputted in this manner is changed, the respective process is performed by the selecting device or the reproducing device, on the basis of the changed designation information. Therefore, since the request such as the change of the reproducing method from the user can be reflected to the reproduction of the audio information in a real time manner, it is possible to perform an even more appropriate reproduction in line with the request from the user.
12) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a re-writing device for re-writing a content of set information stored in the memory device.
According to this aspect, when the user instructs re-writing of the set information by the re-writing device, the content of the set information stored in the memory device is re-written. Therefore, since the recording method suitable for the usage condition of the information reproducing apparatus etc., can be stored in advance in line with the request from the user, it is possible to provided an appropriate usage environment for the information reproducing apparatus.
13) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a warning display device for performing an warning display if the recording method selected by the selecting device on the basis of the designation information or the set information cannot be processed by the information reproducing apparatus.
According to this aspect, if the recording method selected by the selecting device on the basis of the designation information or the set information cannot be processed by the pertinent information reproducing apparatus, the warning display is performed by the warning display device. Therefore, it is possible for the user to set or re-write an appropriate recording method in accordance with the capability of the pertinent information reproducing apparatus.
14) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, in the initial setting condition, the selection of the recording method by the selecting device is performed on the basis of the initial set information, which is set in advance and is stored in the memory device. Therefore, it is possible to give no trouble to the user, and it is possible to perform an appropriate reproduction by means of the recording method suitable for the information reproducing apparatus.
15) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with: a re-writing device for re-writing a content of set information stored in the memory device; and a warning display device for performing an warning display if the recording method selected by the selecting device on the basis of the designation information or the set information cannot be processed by the information reproducing apparatus. The selecting device selects the recording method, on the basis of (i) designation information inputted by the inputting device, (ii) set information re-written by the re-writing device and (iii) initial set information stored in the memory device in an initial setting condition, in this priority order, as long as the warning display is not performed by the warning display device.
According to this aspect, the recording method is selected, on the basis of either one of the (i) the designation information which is designated by the user in a real time manner, (ii) the set information which is re-written by the user in advance and (iii) the initial set information. The priority order is given to this selecting process. This priority order corresponds to the order of the capability of the information reproducing apparatus itself, the real time designation by the user and the initial setting. Therefore, since the capability of the information reproducing apparatus itself has the highest priority, it is possible to avoid the selection which is not suitable for the information reproducing apparatus. Further, if the designation or the re-writing is not performed by the user, an appropriate recording method is selected by the initial set information. However, this information can be appropriately re-written in accordance with the request from the user. Furthermore, even if such a re-writing is performed, since it is possible to designate the recording method in the real time manner, it is possible to perform an appropriate reproduction to which the request from the user is efficiently reflected while the recording method suitable for the information reproducing apparatus is performed.
16) In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a detecting device for detecting an insertion condition of a headphone plug with respect to a headphone jack. The reproducing device reproduces the audio information which is binaural-recorded if the detecting device detects that the headphone plug is inserted in the head phone jack.
In this aspect, when the user inserts the headphone plug into the headphone jack, this insertion is detected by the detecting device. Thus, in case that the audio information which is binaural-recorded is recorded on the information record medium to be reproduced, even if the designation to designate this binaural-recorded audio information is not performed, the binaural-recorded audio information suitable for the headphone reproduction is reproduced. Therefore, while it is not necessary for the user to perform a bothersome operation, it is possible to perform an appropriate reproduction in accordance with the usage condition.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.